Increase in dangerous "dip" in Ridgewood

Chew. Chaw. Dip. Packing a lip. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't heard it from a number of reputable sources over the past few months, but it's a fact that the use of smokeless tobacco among Ridgewood youth -- primarily teen boys -- is rising dramatically. I'm told that athletes and non-athletes alike are using chewing tobacco at night, on weekends and even during the school day. It seems they think it's a "healthy" alternative to smoking. And it delivers a real buzz, without sneaking liquor from your parents cabinet or hiding from the cops in the woods.

Obviously it's easy to carry some dip in your pocket without anyone knowing. I'm not sure where the kids are buying it...probably older siblings are buying it for them?

If you've got teenage boys, please talk to them about this disgusting, dangerous and highly addictive activity. Smokeless tobacco is a leading cause of mouth and throat cancers. The kind of cancer that can result in the victim losing his tongue, jaw, cheeks, neck muscles...get the (gory) picture?

Below are some great website resources.

National Spit Tobacco Education Program

My Last Dip

Why Quit: Story of Gruen Von Behrens (sad, scary, shocking story to get kids' attention)

In my opinion, in many ways this is worse than teen drinking. No teen is walking around sipping vodka during the school day.

Has anybody else noticed this phenomenon growing?

Any ideas for how to stop it?